OHMS & IMPEDANCE from the OUTPUT (speaker) perspective

...and additional speaker related topics in the FAQ

below.
We've broken the explanations down into two FAQ
articles: Ip!t "evices such as instruments and
preamps, and o!tp!t "evices, usually speaker
cabinets or headphones. This article is about the
!T"!T side, what you plu# into the $"%A&%'
!T"!T o( an amp. There is another FAQ that talks about ohms and impedance (rom the
instrument, or input perspective.
#hat the heck are impe"ace a" ohms$
When you plu# speakers into the output )ack o( your amp, those speakers become part o( the
circuit. When your amp was built, it was desi#ned (or a speci(ic minimum impedance load
*expressed in ohms+, and what you plu# into it a((ects the outcome. And i( it isn't compatible
with what is expected, stran#e and,or very dama#in# thin#s can happen. This article is a brie(
overview to help you understand what works with what, what doesn't, and why.
#h% sho!&" I care$
-ecause you can blow up your ampli(ier, or it could mean that you mi#ht buy speaker cabinets
you won't be able to use with #ear you already own.
Impe"ace is measured in ohms, typically a measure o( resistance, but impedance involves
more than a simple resistance measurement. .ou'll see the value expressed as /ohms/ or
represented by this symbol: . $peakers *drivers, the actual device in the cabinet+ and $peaker
cabinets are typically 0 or 1 .
Drivers *a term used to describe the various speakers inside a cabinet+ usually have coils that
are wound to be (our, ei#ht, or sixteen ohms2 there are other, less common values, but they are
relatively rare. The drivers are then wired in di((erent con(i#urations inside the cabinet, and that
desi#n usually results in a total impedance /load/ o( (our or ei#ht ohms. We are not #oin# to
address the #uts o( the speaker cabinet ri#ht now *see below in the FAQ section+, all we're
discussin# here is the use o( one or more cabinets with an ampli(ier.
The importace of Amp&ifier Specificatios' the miim!m &oa" i ohms
$olid $tate *non3tube, and we're includin# those amps with tubes in the preampli(ier sta#e+
ampli(iers will have a minimum impedance speci(ication, (or example /minimum 0 load. *True
tube ampli(iers are di((erent, see the para#raph to the ri#ht.+ This value is usually printed or
stamped next to the speaker output )ack on the amp.
4ere's why it's important: you'll (ind that the load
*impedance+ plu##ed into the unit a((ects the amount o(
power delivered to the speaker cabinet*s+. For example,
you may see a power ratin# o( 567 watts into 1 , 677
watts into 0 (or a #iven amp. 8( you want and,or need the maximum available power the amp
can potentially produce, you want to match the lowest impedance (or which the amp is rated. -ut
don't obsess about it, the di((erence in actual volume is typically not that #reat. 9ost solid3state
amps will handle a 0 load, thou#h those that will handle as low as a : load are becomin# more
common.
Ca&c!&ati( speaker ca)iet impe"ace &oa"s'
8( two cabinets are the same impedance, it's very simple:

8( it is a mix, the math makes it more complicated. To arrive at the numbers one must use /hms
;aw/, which is a mathematical (ormula. Want to know more< =oo#le /hms ;aw/ (or more
in(ormation and some on3line calculators, thou#h you'll also run into more complex volta#e,
current, etc., calculations that are not pertinent to this discussion. There's a #ood discussion o(
impedance calculations here, and an impedance calculator on 'o#er $adowsky's site.
For your convenience, here's the ohm load (or another common con(i#uration:
.ou'll have to be care(ul to interpret the speci(ication (or combo amps *those with a built3in
speaker+ as they may express them in di((erent ways. $ome indicate total minimum impedance,
so the internal speaker's impedance has to be (actored in. thers will indicate the minimum
impedance o( the extension speaker that can be added.
The key thin# to remember:
The impe"ace &oa" of the com)iatio of the coecte" speaker ca)iets m!st
ever )e )e&o* the miim!m impe"ace &oa" specifie" )% the amp ma!fact!rer+
#hat happes if there is a mismatch$
If the speaker ca)iet impe"ace &oa" is hi(her tha the amp&ifier rati(, e+(+, a ei(ht ohm
ca)iet p&!((e" ito a amp&ifier *ith a miim!m impe"ace &oa" of fo!r ohms, %o!-re
coo&+ .ou're not #ettin# the amp's maximum output, but don't panic over it. *A#ain, this applies
only to solid3state amps 3 i( you have a tube power amp, the impedance needs to match>+
If the speaker ca)iet impe"ace &oa" is &o*er tha the amp&ifier it is o* time to paic.
Do-t tr% it.
Ampli(iers can react in di((erent ways, most contemporary #ood ?uality amps have circuitry that
detects the current (low, and i( it is hi#her than speci(ied *the result o( a speaker load below
speci(ications+ the amp will temporarily shut itsel( down. 4owever, not all amps have this
protection circuitry, so you may be playin# with (ire... literally>> Another distinct possibility is
that you'll see curls o( smoke escapin# (rom the amp as you (ry the output devices.
Ho* ca I avoi" a mismatch$
@hoose your speaker cabinets care(ully and know their impedance loads, know your amp's
minimum impedance speci(ications, and think o( the conse?uences be(ore )ust plu##in# in
cabinets.
Series a" Para&&e&, *hat the he&&$.$
When you discuss multiple drivers or cabinets, you'll invariably #et into the sub)ect o( series and
parallel connections. 8( you care to know, here's the lowdown:
Para&&e& speaker coectios are the most commo+
When you plu# two speaker cabinets into the two speaker )acks on the back o( a typical
ampli(ier, the overwhelmin# odds are that the cabinets are connected in parallel. 8( there
is a commonly available amp out there wired with output )acks that results in series
connections, 8've never seen or heard o( it.
When you plu# one speaker
cabinet into an ampli(ier,
and then run a second cable
(rom the (irst speaker
cabinet's second speaker
)ack to the second speaker,
the cabinets are connected in
parallel. A#ain, i( there are
popularly available cabs out there wired with dual )acks that results in series connections,
8'm not aware o( any.
When you plu# a speaker cabinet into a combo amp's *amp with internal speaker+
extension speaker )ack, the internal speaker and external cabinet are connected in parallel.
A#ain... you know what 8'm #oin# to say.
Para&&e& is when speakers or speaker cabinets are all connected postive *A+ to positive *A+ and
to $peaker *cabinet+ BC positive *A+, (rom $peaker *cabinet+ BC ne#ative *3+ to $peaker *cabinet+
B: positive *A+, (rom $peaker *cabinet+ B: ne#ative *3+ to Ampli(ier ne#ative *3+. .ou could make
custom cables or a box to connect two speakers or more in series to an ampli(ier.
The dia#ram to the ri#ht demonstrates wirin# two drivers in parallel and series con(i#urations.
Common Questions regarding amplifier outputs and speakers:
Can I change a cabinet's impedance from eight to four ohms, or four to eight
ohms?
"robably not, but it will depend on what is inside. 9ost two driver *we're speakin# o( two main
bass drivers, like a :xC7, etc.+ cabinets don't have that (lexibility. For example, i( you have a (our
ohm :xC7, it is likely that the two drivers are ei#ht ohms each, and they are wired in parallel,
which results in (our ohms at the output )ack. The only other choice would be to wire them in
series, which would result in a sixteen ohm load. The other drivers *tweeters, horns, midran#e
drivers, etc.+, i( applicable, are wired to a crossover circuit that (ilters out lower (re?uencies
#oin# to a midran#e, tweeter, etc., that would otherwise dama#e the device. They can also (actor
into impedance loads, which, by the way, vary over the (re?uency band.
My speaker cabinet/full range driver/bass driver is not marked !o" can I find out
its impedance?
While impedance is not exactly the same as resistance, you can use a D9 *Dolt hm 9illiamp
meter+ to measure the resistance o( the device to #et a (airly accurate measurement. $et your
meter to the lowest resistance scale and measure across the hot and #round *(or accurate
measurement the driver or cabinet should not be wired or plu##ed into any circuitry+. 8t will
likely settle around (our or ei#ht ohms, which will #ive you the answer.
My amp can go do"n to # , but my speaker cabinet is $ %hould I try to get it
lo"er, like buy a different cabinet or try to modify mine?
Eon't #et your panties in a twist. The audible di((erence in volume between, say 567w,1 and
677w,0 , i( usin# otherwise identical speaker cabinets, is not really that #reat.
&he back of my amp says '#() "atts'* is that the po"er?
"ossibly, but only i( it is near the speaker output )acks or has lan#ua#e
indicatin# so. 8( it is near the power cable and alon# with /CC73C:7DA@/ or
similar lan#ua#e, it re(ers to the A@ power consumption o( the ampli(er, not the
amp's output watta#e, as shown in the #raphic on the ri#ht.
&he +ine ,rint: The in(ormation contained herein is based on what's in my
brain and,or my opinions as o( today and is sub)ect to chan#e. ;ike any
topic, a #reat deal more in(ormation could be addedFbut the intent o( these
writin#s is to present easy to understand, ?uick FAQs, to address common
?uestions and improve the reader's #eneral knowled#e. What's written here
is by no means the authoritative absolute answer, 8 am not the world's
#reatest authority on bass *not even close+, or on anythin# else (or that
matter. 8 hope the in(ormation and opinions here are help(ul to you, that's
the point>
8 welcome email with dissentin# and additional viewpoints that help
improve my personal awareness and the content pa#es. 8( you have a
?uestion that you think belon#s here, please let me know.
FBob